Electric-railway system.



P'atnted July so, I90l.

2 Sheets-sheet m n. ni m InVentnr: \M I ha B. Pot/och w. B. POTTER.

ELEGTBIG RAILWAY SYSTEM.

(Application filed Feb. 28, 1901.)

No. 679,33l.

(No Model.)

I Witnesses d,Z//

No. 679,33l.

Patented July 30, 1901. w. B. POTTER.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY SYSTEM.

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= NITED STATES IVILLIAM B. POTTER, OF SOHENEOTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR.TO. GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC-RAILWAY SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 679,331, dated July 30,1901.

Application filed February 28, 1901. Serial No. 49,218. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. POTTER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric-RailwaySystems, (Case No. 1,743,) ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in sectional-conductor railwaysystems.

The aim of the invention is to provide a system having section-switcheswhich are certain to open and close when required, which system shallpossess other advantages hereinafter described, all making toward apractical and commercially operative railway.

' Of the drawings, Figure 1 is a working drawing of thecircuitconnections of a system embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a planview of a car equipped in accordance with the invention. Fig. 3 is aplan of a switch carried by the car and shows the connections controlledby the switch. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of a car-truck and a sectionof the road equipment; and Fig. 5 is a diagram of circuits, showing howthe sectional conductors are reversed under certain circumstances. I

The car-motors are typified at M and are suitably mounted on the carwhich moves along the track-rails T. On one side of both track-rails islocated a line of power-conductor sections P, which are connected byelectromagnetically actuated gravity -'opening switches S with a feederF, which is connected to one terminal of a high-potential generator H,which may be adapted to generate current having an electromotive forceof substantially fivehundred volts for ordinary service. A collectingdevice E is carried at one side of the car to engage with thepower-conductor sections P and is connected through the car-motors M andthe car-wheels to the traffic-rails or other suitable return. The

connection D between the generator II and the track T completes thepower-circuit.

Suitably supported on the opposite side of the car is a collectingdevice 0, which is connected through the car-wheels with the trackrailsor other suitable return and which is adapted to engage pick-up orswitch-energizing conductor-sections I, each of which is permanentlyconnected through a switch-coil O with a feeder N, which is connectedtoone side of a low-potential generator L. The connection K between thetrack T and the low-potential generator L completes the energizing orpick-up circuit. 7

In the position of the car shown in Fig. l the right-hand switch S is inposition to close the high-potential circuit through the carmotors, thelow-potentialcircuit is closed by the engagement of the collector O withthe section I, and the car-motors are being supplied with currentthrough the collecting device E. The circuits can be readily traced asfollows: The pick-up collector 0 being in engagement with theenergizing-section I and being connected to the track return through thecar, completes the circuit of the low-potential generator L, the coil 0of the switch S being energized thereby to raise the switch S againstthe action of gravity to close the bridge in the branch B from thefeeder F, thus causing current to flow from the feeder F through thebranch 13, power-section P, collector E, car-motors M, and the trackreturn and connection D to the other terminal of the highpotentialgenerator H. It will be noted that the pick-up sections I arepermanently connected with the low-potential feeder N; but as thecurrent generated by the machine L has a potential of only about fiftyvolts there is no danger to life from the continuouslyalive sections I.This arrangement dispenses with the use of an auxiliary pick-up sourcecarried by the car and insures a flow of current through the car-motorsas long as both feeders F and N are supplied with current. As themain-feeder current is not relied on in any case to close themagneticswitches, the current-flow to the motors will not be interruptedin cases of high-speed trains, which has been a difliculty hitherto. Insuch cases if a good contact were not made by the carcollector with theswitch-energizing sect-ion, the motor connection would be broken and itwould be necessary to resort to an auxiliary source of current on thecar to close the feederswitch. Furthermore, in the present system noauxiliary source on the car is necessary to initially close the switcheswhen the car is about to start from a position of'rest. This systemprovides also against the danger of short circuits across from theconductor-rails to the track and provides remedies for variousstructural difficulties.

Since the switch-energizing sections I are continuously alive, it isessential that they be placed a suflicient distance from the track railsto prevent'short circuits, for if the latter condition should occur itwould of course be impossible to close a feeder-switch. It is alsoessential that the hi gh-potential sections P should be as far removedas is practicable from the track-rails, forif a short circuit occurs atthis point a great loss of current will result, the car-motors will becut oii": from their supply, and it would be impossible to close thefeeder-switches, as the potential of the sections I is so much lowerthan that of the section P. Even if the different conductorsections aremounted on insulated supports it is just as important that they shouldbe as widely separated from the trackrails as is practicable, for thepossibility of short-circuitin g must be prevented at any cost. Ininstalling systems of this sortI have usually mounted theconductor-sections upon insulating-supports, which are themselvessomewhathigher than the track-rails, the insulating-supports beingusually mounted, as is well known, upon the same ties with thetrackrails.

Since it is necessary to provide the front car of the train with a pilotor fender which must come within a shortdistance of the roadbed in orderto be effective, it is impracticable to place the conductor-railsmounted on high insulators between the track rails. Hitherto collectorsor shoes have been usually mounted so that they are located directlybeneath the center of the car-body, which would necessarily be the caseif the conductor-rails were located "between the track-rails. This isa'very disadvantageous construction, as shoes so located are not easilyaccessible for removal or repairs, which is essential, as theyrapidlywear out or become inoperative, owing to therough usage to whichthey are subjected. In addition to these reasons it is essential in thesystem disclosed herein, as noted above, to provide means for preventingeither the high or low potential current from being short-circuitedaround the car-motors from the conductor-sections to the track-rails,and in order to fulfil all the required conditions I have conceived theconstruction above outlined. As the high and low potential sections arearranged on opposite sides of the track-rails, it is not necessary thatthe corresponding collectors on either side extend out-beyond the sidesofthe car any farther than the distance deemed necessary to separate'theconductor-sections fromv the trackrails. The conductor-rails can thus beseparated a greater distance from the track-rails than they could'be iflocated between such rails, and at the same time important structuraladvantages are obtained. With this construction the collectors arereadily accessible for inspection or repairs, andthe'conductor-sections, mounted on the high insulating-supports, arelocated so that they interfere in no manner with any of theappurtenances of the lower portions of the car-body.

In addition, as it is usually demanded that the c0nductor-sections beguarded by a roof or box in order to protect the rails from ice, storms,&c., this construction has the advantage of being adapted for suchadditional protection, which would be impossible in case the sectionswere located between the trackrails.

In Fig. 4 third-rail insulators Z are shown bolted to the same ties G towhich the trafficrails are secured. Theconductor-sections I and P aremounted on these insulators considerably higher than the traffic-railsand higher than the tender or pilot Q, which extends as close to thetraffic-rails as is safe. In addition the guards J are provided toprotect the conductor-sections from snow and ice and prevent personsfrom contact with the sections. The pilot-rod L is secured in the usualmanner to the car and is provided with the vertical pilot-springs N.Cast integral with each oil-box R is a bracket U, and on the twobrackets on each side of the car is mounted a collector-beam V. Mountedon each beam V is one or more collecting devices 0 and E, which carrysuitable collector-shoes Y, which engage with the conductor-sections. By this means the conductorsections can be properly supported, insulatedand protected withoutin any wise interfering with the car apparatus. Astrong and simple support for the collecting devices is provided,andthey are readily accessible for inspection and can be easily andquickly removed and replaced. Without the necessity of long 001-lector-arms the conductor-sections can be located a sufiicient distancefrom the trackrails and from each other to effectually prevent any shortcircuits.

In Fig. 5 is shown a safety arrangement adapted to be employed atstations 5 6 along the way. Stations are located sometimes on one sideof the road and sometimes on the other, and it is desirable to have thepower conductor-sections in all cases as far distant from thestation-platform as possible, while the low-potential conductor-sectionsmay be located in any suitable place. WVith the arrangement shown inFig. 5 the power conductor-sections at a station are always placed onthe side of the track-rails farthest away from the station-platform, nomatter on which side they are placed in the rest of the length of theroad. At one station they may be, as shown, at one side of thetrack-rails and at another station, which may be on the oppopo'site sideof the track-rails, the position of the power-section will be reversed.In both cases the sections I will be correspondingly changed, so thatthey lie next the station.

IIO

In order that the car connections can be changed to correspond to thechange in location of the conductor-sections, the switch shown in Fig. 3is carried on the car and is adapted to be operated manually. Thecontact 1 is connected to the collector E and contacts 1 and 2 areconnected together, the contact 3 is connected with the collector C, andthe contacts 4 and 5 are connected to the return and car motors,respectively. The contact 4 is connected through the lead X with thereturn-as, for example, the wheel WV of Fig. l, which travels on agrounded rail T. The contact 5 is connected with the motorcircuit M,also shown in Fig. 1. In the position of the switch shown, theconductor-sections being located as shown in Fig. 1 and in the left-handpart of Fig. 5, the current will flow from the section P through thecollector E to contact 1, the lower switch-piece, and the contact 5 tothe car-motors. Current will also flow from the section I through thecollector O to the contact 3, the upper switch-piece, and the contact 4to the return -X. When the connections to the conductorsections arereversed, as shown at the righthand part of Fig. 5, the switch of Fig. 3will be moved so that the left-hand end of the upper switch-pieceengages the contact 2 and the left-hand end of the lower switch-pieceengages the contact 3. As the power-section P of Fig. 3 is now connectedas the energizing low-potential section I of Fig. 5, and the section Iof Fig. 3 is connected as the powersection P of Fig. 5, current willflow to the car-motors from the collector O of Fig. 3, through contact3, the lower switch-piece and contact 5. Current will also flow from thelow-potential section through the collector E of Fig. 3, the contact 1,the connection between contacts 1 and 2, the contact 2, and the upperswitch-piece to the contact 4 and the return X. When the car leaves astation-section, the switch will be returned to its origi nal positionif the conductor-sections are connected as they were on the other sideof the station.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is

.1. In an electric railway, the combination with a high-potential orpower feeder, of a low-potential pick-up feeder, powercondoctor-sections, electromagnetic switches for connecting thehigh-potential feeder with the power-sections, pick-up orswitch-energizing conductor sections connected through the switch-coilswith the low-potential feeder; and collecting means carried by the carto engage said power and pick-up conductor-sections, and a common returnfor the high and low potential feeders.

2. In an electric railway, the combination with a high-potential orpower feeder, of a low-potential or pick-up feeder, powerconductor-sections, electromagnetic switches for connecting thehigh-potential feeder with the power conductor-sections, pick-up orswitchenergizing conductor-sections permanently connected through theswitch-coils with the low-potential feeder, collecting means carried bythe car to engage said power and pick-up conductor-sections, andtrack-rails serving as a common return for the high and low potentialfeeders.

3. A contact system for electric railways, which comprises a feeder,power conductorsections located on one side of both trackrails,electromagnetic switches for connecting the feeder with said sections,and. pickup or switch-energizing conductor-sections located on the otherside of both traclorails and connected to the switch-coils.

4. A contact system for electric railways, which comprises a line ofswitch-energizing conductor-sections located at one side of bothtrack-rails, and a line of power conductor sections located at the otherside of both track-rails; in combination with a collecting devicecarried on one side of the car to engage with the energizingconductor-sections, and a collecting device carried on the other side ofthe car to engage with the power 0011- doctor-sections.

5. In an electric-railway system, the combination with a feeder, ofpower conductorsections located at one side of both trackrails,electromagnetic switches for connecting the feeder with said sections,switch-energizing sections located on the other side of both trackrails, and connected with the switch-coils, a collector carried on oneside of the car and engaging the power conductorsections to conveycurrent therefrom to the car-motors, and a collector carried on theother side of the car to engage the switch-energizing sections andconnect the switch-coils to ground through the car.

6. In an electric railway,- the combination with a high-potential orpower feeder, of a low-potential or pick-up feeder, powerconductor-sections located at one side of both track-rails, andelectromagnetic switches for connecting the high-potential feeder withthe power-sections, pick-up or switch-energizing sections located on theother side of both track-rails, and'connected with the low-potentialfeeder through the switch-coils; and collecting means carried by the carto engage said powerand pick-u p sections respectively.

7. In an electric railway, the combination with a high-potential orpower feeder, of a low-potential or pick-up feeder, powerconductor-sections, electromagnetic switches for connecting thehigh-potential feeder with the power conductor-sections, pick-up orswitchenergizing conductor-sections connected with the low-potentialfeeder through the switchcoils, and collecting means carried by the carto connect the high and low potential feeders through the car to thereturn, and a common return for the high and low potential feeders.-

8. In an electric railway, the combination &

with a high-potential or power feeder, of a low-potential or pick-upfeeder, power conductor-sections located at one side of bothtrack-rails, electromagnetic switches for connecting the high-potentialfeeder with the power-sections, pick-up or switch-energizingconductor-sections located on the other side of both track-rails, andconnected with the power-feeder through the switch-coils; and

collecting means carried on both sides of the car for connecting thehigh and low potential feeders through the car to the return.

9. In an electric railway, the combination with power conductor-sectionslocated at one side of both track-rails at one part of the road, ofswitch-energizing conductor-sections located on opposite sides of thetrack-rails respectively, collecting means on opposite sides of the carto engage with the power and energizing conductor-sections, and a switchon the car for changing the connections of the collecting devices.

10. In an electric car, the combination with collecting devices onopposite sides ofthe car, of a switch on the car for reversing theconnections of said collecting devices.

11. In an electric car, the combination with a collecting device mountedon one side of the car and connected to the return, of a collectingdevice mounted on the other side of the car and connected through thecar-n10- tors to the return, of a vswitch on the car for reversing theconnections of said collecting devices.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 25th day ofFebruary, 1901.

WILLIAM B. POTTER.

Witnesses:

BENJAMIN B. HULL, EDWARD WILLIAMS, Jr.

